


to_katie

by dmwrites



Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-24
Updated: 2017-07-24
Packaged: 2018-12-06 12:15:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11600445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dmwrites/pseuds/dmwrites
Summary: A transcription of an audio recording which is one of the few remnants of a world lost.





	to_katie

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to Curly for looking this over!

**to:** katie?_00359_+_60 ##;’

 **from:** a????n? ## >?

 **time & date:** ???

 

_NOTE: Data was obscured before its discovery, unclear if the action was deliberate or not. If the subject provided her name and additional information, you might agree that it is possible that those bits have been edited out. I have translated and transcribed all that remained to the best of my ability. Any phrasing that might seem odd is not a liberty that I have taken; there are many interruptions in the recording, I suspect either the subject or someone else tampered with it after it was done. It is unclear in how many sessions the recording was put together in. Additional information can be found in the document attached._

— L. S., a-i-t, (#91378), 12.12.78. To be reviewed by M. G., c. a. (#91236) 

_Reviewed. Did not find the need for any significant corrections. Added note #1 for clarity. The following transcription is as truthful to the recording as can be. My own assessment can be found in the second attachment. To be archived and used as needed._

— c.a. M. G., (#91236), 17.12.78.

 

###

 

Hey there, Katie.

Am I even allowed to call you that? Katie? Your momma never got to call you that. Never got to decide if she _wanted_ call you that. I thought you should be named after me. [inaudible]. Doesn’t that sound nice? [inaudible]. I always loved the name. Maybe I’m the one who gets to decide, now that she’s gone. [inaudible]. It’s pretty. That’s what I think. I think it’s lucky, too. What did your momma’s name ever do for her? Or your papa’s? What did their numbers do for them besides—

—how they met. I think I’m supposed to tell you that. She would have told you that. Isn’t that what parents tell their children? I wouldn’t know. Your momma and I didn’t know ours. They [k—]

[—r] numbers. Your papa was in line after her. She’s told me the story so many times. “It was _destiny_ , [inaudible], it really was!” Not that she was thinking that when it first happened. You see, they gave them the same number. Isn’t that stupid? Those people are supposed to be _professionals._ Not that I’ve seen them. I’m not allowed in the ward. But I was… aware of them. I heard things. All from your momma, of course, but she told me a lot. I was scared of them, I suppose. Isn’t _that_ stupid? Why _was_ I scared of them? Why aren’t I scared anymore, now that I’m alone? It’s not like they can get [o/a—]

But yeah, they gave them the same number. They made your momma come back in and made them put their wrists next to each other so they can compare the ink. They were lost. They’d never made a mistake like that before, what were they to do? Your momma let them have it. “It was _my_ number, I told them. TS-00359. Tee-es zero-zero-three-five-nine. Tesszrozrofivenine. _Five-nine._ I got it first, I wasn’t gonna give it back!” She wanted me to believe that she was brave enough to stand up to them. But honestly? She was scared [inaudible]. They [inaudible]. She thought they would have to cut a part of her skin to get rid of it. None of us had seen them change anyone’s number. Not that I would _see_. I’m not allowed in the ward. Your papa didn’t talk much. He didn’t talk then, either. Just accepted what they did to him.

So she won. She got to keep her five-nine. Five-nine. _Nine, nine, nine_. She always reminded me. As if I would forget. Maybe she was reminding herself. Maybe what they did to them started to make them forget. I wouldn’t know. I’m not allowed in the ward.

[—n] listening to this and I just realized I never told you that I’m your aunt? You probably gathered that, or it was written somewhere, or someone told you, but yeah. I’m your aunt. Auntie [inaudible]. There’s probably a format for these things. I’m probably supposed to tell you a bunch of stuff you should know, but I don’t know. How would I know? I’m not allowed in the ward. Parents-to-be get trained there. The rest of us don’t. It’s not that likely we’ll ever be parents, anyway. We don’t have the [bl—] for it. We don’t get to procreate, they don’t get to [t—] us. It’s fair, when you think of it.

I haven’t seen another person in weeks. It’s just me and [inaudible]. It won’t help me get up and get out. It’s here right now. Isn’t that creepy? I didn’t think it was creepy before your momma [inaudible]. Not even when your papa [inaudible]. I’m gonna be honest, I didn’t care about him all that much. Your momma did, of course. But she was allowed in the ward. I wasn’t. I stayed at the bottom. People feel different things up there. It’s weird to think about it, but I only seemed to feel things different than the usual when she was around. It was even more intense when she brought your papa with her. I don’t feel much when it’s just me and [inaudible]. It’s still here. It’s looking at me. Or it’s turned to me, at least. I don’t know if it’s really looking. I can hear it whirring and whistling. Can you? [ _note #1: no whirring or whistling or any other sound besides the subject’s voice can be heard in the recording — c. a._ ] It never speaks. It’s creepy. But I can hear your heartbeat, too. Isn’t that wonderful of [inaudible]? That [inaudible] [—t] me hear your little heart go on and on while your momma and papa are long [inaudible]? I think it’s wonderful. But creepy, too. I mean, you’re not even in the [inaudible] with me, but I can _hear_ your _heart._ Can you hear it, too? [ _note #1_ ]

[—en/in] a while. I don’t remember what I’ve said already. [inaudible] won’t let me listen to the recording again. Won’t tell me why. It doesn’t speak. It won’t help me get up. I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve been out. I don’t know much. I’m not allowed in the ward. I thought it was there where people forgot, but I think I’m starting to forget, too. I’m supposed to tell you things. I love you. I’m supposed to say that, am I not? I love you. I’m supposed to, I think. But I don’t know if I really love you. You’re not even a [inaudible] yet. You’re just a heartbeat. Are you even [inaudible]—

[—t] was your momma’s number, Katie? Tee-es… Something or other. I don’t know. Why would I know? I’m not allowed in the ward. I’m not a Tess. I’m [inaudible]. Your auntie [inaudible]. Was that the word? Auntie? That’s a funny word. Why would there be a word for what I am to you? We’re not family. Not really. I did nothing to make you. Your parents hardly did anything, besides give their [inaudible]. You were thrust upon them and they pretended to be happy. Not happy enough. [inaudible] knew. [inaudible] [—d] them. They knew. Katie. They knew. Your momma’s number… Tess. [zzffn]. Nine. Nine. Ward n—

—don’t remember. Why am I not allowed? What did they do to them in there? If they [inaudible], why did they allow me to record this? Where is [inaudible]? Where am I? Where are _you?_

[—tie?] Katie. [inaudible] Are you even there? I can’t hear your heart. Even [inaudible] is gone. I don’t have anyone to help me up. I don’t know where anyone is. I can’t get up on my own. I’m not allowed. Katie? I don’t know where you are. I don’t know if I love you. I don’t know what I’m supposed to know. Are you there? Are you listening? Are you there, Katie?

Katie?

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! If you're new to this site:
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> read my other stories:   
> [The Fall Show](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11290392)  
> [You wish](http://archiveofourown.org/works/12445152)  
> follow me on twitter: [dmwrites](https://twitter.com/dmwrites)


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